Thyroid – All about the Gland, Hormone, Test, Levels, and Insurance

Hormones regulate our bodily functions in different ways. Take the thyroid hormone for instance. It controls our metabolism, which in turn affects the way our heart, brain, muscles and digestive system function. Produced by the thyroid gland, this hormone is needed in just the right amount by our body. When the production is too little or too much, our body tends to develop a host of problems. Luckily, there are treatment methods available to keep such problems in check. But it can be costly. Which is why, you need the right kind of health insurance.Read on to know more about the hormone, how it is tested, the levels that indicate problems and more.

Know Your Thyroid Gland and Its Hormone

The thyroid gland is positioned in front of the neck and wrapped around the windpipe. As the name suggests, it creates the thyroid hormone which is crucial for regulating the temperature of our body, weight, muscle strength as well as mood. If this gland malfunctions, it can create a lot of problems, including fast gain in considerable weight as well as other issues.

What Happens in a Thyroid Test?

If you are advised by a doctor to get a thyroid test, you will need to give a blood sample for testing which will be sent to a diagnostic lab. The lab tech will check the Thyroid Stimulating Hormone, (TSH) level in your blood. It is the TSH that is produced by your pituitary gland and decides how much hormone will be produced. The higher your TSH level, the lower will be the production of thyroid hormone, and vice versa.

How Does the Report Represent Normal TSH Levels?

As mentioned earlier, TSH has an inverse impact on thyroid hormone production. This is the reason why TSH levels are measured in ranges and not in actual numbers. While doctors continue to debate on what they consider to be normal TSH levels, generally, the decision about the range being too high or too low is taken after accounting for various factors. Enlargement of thyroid gland is also taken into consideration.

Impact of Age on Thyroid Gland and Hormone Levels

As time goes by and you get on in years, your thyroid gland will witness multiple changes. Prevalence of thyroid related problems usually increases with age. However, more research is going on in this area and results are yet to be conclusive.

Impact of TSH Level Being Too Low

If the TSH level in your blood test is found to be less than 0.5 mIU/L, with certain other factors being present, your TSH levels may be classified as too low. It means that your thyroid gland is in an overdrive and produces too much of the thyroid hormone. This can create a condition called hyperthyroidism.

Symptoms if Your TSH Level is Too Low

In case your thyroid gland is hyperactive, and you develop hyperthyroidism, you might notice different symptoms. Your weight might go down. You might experience irregular heartbeat or rapid heartbeat, or it might routinely go over 100 bpm. Your appetite might go up considerably along with your heat sensitivity. You may also experience nervousness, anxiety and irritability.

Impact of TSH Levels Being Too High

If the TSH level in your blood test is found to be higher than 0.5 mIU/L, with certain other factors being present, your TSH level may be classified as too high. This means your thyroid gland produces less quantity of the hormone. This condition is known as hypothyroidism.

Symptoms if Your TSH Level is Too High

The most easily visible symptom of hypothyroidism is that you will gain a lot of weight at a very rapid pace. Your hair will go thin and you might experience hair fall. Your heart rate may slow down than normal. In case of women, menstrual cycles may become irregular and lead to heavy flow. Further, you may experience dry skin.

Relation Between Hypothyroidism and Pregnancy

If you are a pregnant woman or are planning to get pregnant, remember to get tested for thyroid problems first. Even if there is a problem with your thyroid, if it is well managed, your pregnancy should go just fine. Remember that your baby will rely on you for thyroid hormones for some time after birth, so hypothyroidism should be properly managed as it may impact the long-term health of your baby.

Role of Health Insurance in Case of Thyroid Problems

Thyroid problems are generally covered by health insurance as these are medical problems and not cosmetic ones. So, make sure you have adequate healthinsurance, especially if you have family history of thyroid problems, as otherwise, you might have to shell out a lot of money for the treatment.

Disclaimer: The above information is for illustrative purpose only. For more details, please refer to policy wordings and prospectus before concluding the sales.